“I got one small bowl of food a day. We were never allowed to go outside. In the night I had to give massages to some of the men.” says a child refugee from Myanmar who was in an immigration detention centre in Malaysia.

Unfortunately, immigration detention of children happens all around the world. We call on all states to stop this practice and protect the rights of all children within their territory or jurisdiction, regardless of whether the child holds the appropriate documentation.

It is never in the best interest of the child to be detained.

Child detention is a problem, not a solution

Although detention of children is widespread, it is difficult to quantify partly because States do not often keep statistics and/or release numbers. There is an increase globally in the use of migration-related detention, with many countries detaining migrant, asylum seeker and refugee children. There are reports of children being detained alongside convicted criminals in jails and/or unrelated adults in immigration detention centres. Many children are unaccompanied or are separated from their caregivers, leaving them particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse. Lack of adequate medical care and education is a major concern for all children in detention

Substantial evidence shows that detention frequently damages the mental health and development of children, from infancy through teenage years. Harmful effects on children's mental health are often persistent, are often severe, and can occur even after short periods of detention.

Governments should not detain children when they are fleeing abuse, war and poverty, even if they do not have any papers. These children and families do not pose any threat to the community.

We address all states, and in particular the immigration ministers of Malaysia, Israel, South Africa, Greece, Mexico, Australia and the United States of America, where child detention is an acute problem.

This petition was delivered to:

States present at the UN Human Rights CouncilUnited Nations Human Rights Council

Greek Ministry of Citizen ProtectionNikolaos Dendias

South African Minister of Home AffairsMs Grace Naledi Pandor

4 more decision makers...

Israeli Minister of InteriorGideon Sa'ar

A. Secretaría de Gobernación de MéxicoMiguel Angel Osorio Chong

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship - Australian Labor PartyTony Burke

Malaysian Prime MiniserDatuk Seri Najib

Letter to

States present at the UN Human Rights CouncilUnited Nations Human Rights Council

Greek Ministry of Citizen ProtectionNikolaos Dendias

South African Minister of Home AffairsMs Grace Naledi Pandor

Israeli Minister of InteriorGideon Sa'ar

A. Secretaría de Gobernación de MéxicoMiguel Angel Osorio Chong

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship - Australian Labor PartyTony Burke

I just signed the following petition to End Immigration Detention of Children.

I sign this petition because I believe your government should not detain children just because they are fleeing abuse, war and poverty or don’t have any papers. Many of them are unaccompanied and have lost their parents or are already traumatized and just want safety. No child should be locked up. These children and families do not pose any threat to the community.

The global campaign to end the detention of immigrant children focuses on Australia, Greece, Mexico, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa and the United States. This month the campaign focuses on Malaysia.

Your government should ensure that a minimum level of protection, freedom of movement, and support for children is in place. Your government should look to existing good practices such of countries who prevent detention such as Belgium, Sweden and Argentina. It is time that the best interests of the child is taken seriously.